This course gives networking professionals hands-on knowledge of how to troubleshoot a BIG-IP system using a number of
troubleshooting techniques as well as troubleshooting and system tools. This course includes lectures, labs, and discussions.

Audience

This course assumes that you have successfully completed the Administering BIG-IP course, or equivalent, and have hands-on experience working in a production BIG-IP environment for several months. You should have a solid understanding of the environment in which the BIG-IP is deployed. This course is meant for BIG-IP administrators, network engineers, applications engineers, etc., who will be responsible for troubleshooting problems associated with their BIG-IP system.

Students must complete one of the following F5 prerequisites before attending this course:

Administering BIG-IP instructor-led course

F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator

The following free web-based training courses, although optional, will be very helpful for any student with limited BIG-IP
administration and configuration experience.

Getting Started with BIG-IP web-based training

Getting Started with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) web-based training

The following general network technology knowledge and experience are recommended before attending any F5 Global Training Services instructor-led course:

OSI model encapsulation

Routing and switching

Ethernet and ARP

TCP/IP concepts

IP addressing and subnetting

NAT and private IP addressing

Default gateway

Network firewalls

LAN vs. WAN

The following course-specific knowledge and experience is suggested before attending this course:

HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and SSH protocols

Students should be able to:

Describe the role of the BIG-IP system as a full proxy device in an application delivery network;

Set up, start/restart/stop, license, and provision the BIG-IP system;

Create a basic network configuration on the BIG-IP system including VLANs and self IPs;

Use the Configuration utility and TMOS Shell (tmsh) to manage BIG-IP resources and use as a resource when troubleshooting;

Create, restore from, and manage BIG-IP archives;

Understand and implement troubleshooting methodology to find and resolve issues;

View resource status, availability, and statistical information and use this information to determine how the BIG-IP system is
currently processing traffic;

Use iApps to update BIG-IP configuration;

Perform troubleshooting and problem determination activities including using the iHealth diagnostic tool, researching known issues and solutions on AskF5, submitting a problem ticket to F5 Technical Support, and view traffic flow using tcpdump;

Understand the tools (ping, netstat, tcpdump, ssldump, WireShark, diff, Kdiff3, Fiddler, BIG-IP logs, etc.) available to use to identify BIG-IP and network issues from bottom to top;

List log files available, understand log levels, and use the appropriate files, log levels, and filters for troubleshooting;

Use High Speed Logging (HSL) and SNMP trap implementations to perform troubleshooting and problem determination activities;

Describe the role of iRules in affecting traffic behavior and how to use them to aid with troubleshooting and problem determination.

Configuration Project

Troubleshooting Methodology

F5 Support

Troubleshooting - Bottom to Top

Troubleshooting Tools

Using System Logs